I dashed through the emergency doors, clutching my presumably lifeless baby boy and begging all that was sacred that he would be okay. Lester had a temperature last night when I got home from work, and it just seemed to get worse.
A nurse approaches me and calls out, "Dr.," "This way,"
"He won't wake up now because his fever has worsened." He is placed on the bed as I sob. His readings appeared life-threatening, so she immediately connected him to the monitor. I fell to my knees and prayed at the foot of the bed.
"Oh God, please! Please," When his heart rate dipped, the nurse pressed the code blue button.
"No?" As nurses and doctors crowded the room, I broke down in tears. I gasped, gripping myself even tighter, feeling guilty about leaving him with the sitter and heading for work today. "He only started the fever yesterday," I said.
"This began yesterday; what height did it reach?" She nodded while I spoke and noted what I said on the chart. Her comforting smile merely offered a glimmer of hope.
I genuinely believed it was a cold or teething when I left him with the babysitter this morning, but when she called weeping, I didn't think it could be this awful. When I heard the doctors yell, "Clear!" I felt all the air escape my lungs. My precious boy was lying on the bed as I peered through the glass; his normally bright complexion had turned bluish and was attached to tubes and cables. My ten-month-old kid was lying motionless, and I put my hands on the glass and stared at him.
"Let me gather some additional details for his records."
She typed as I was talking, "Owen Coal, 05-28-2015, no father, no medical problems on my side of the family." She then inquired, "Do you know about his father's side of the family?"
"I went to a sperm bank. I have no knowledge of his father.
She said, "Excuse me," then slipped to the ground in joy as the doctor shouted, "We got him back," I was left standing there.
Owen was lying in the NICU crib a few hours later, linked up to various devices and illuminated by blinking lights. He was also wearing what looked like a balloon that provided him with oxygen, judging by how the pump rose and fell in response to his chest movements. In order to determine what to do about the fever and his oxygen levels, Dr. Lee had to place him into a medically induced coma. His temperature was 105.8 when we arrived, an extreme level for an adult and a young baby. One hour quickly became two, then three, then four before my eyes. All I could do was pace the room, taking solace in the machines' comforting sounds that informed me that my baby was still alive. Would you like a drink or something to eat, Ms. Coal? As the shift changed and she started her rounds, Nurse White questioned.
"Water, please." "What is taking so long?" I asked as I sat in the gliding chair. I cried out while biting my nails.
I have informed my employer that I will be working from the hospital and Lisa has kindly advised me to take the necessary time. Furthermore, she promised to pray for the small angel, and that alone caused me to cry.
"Letta?" As I jumped up, I nearly collided with the doctor.
"You found what was wrong with him?" I asked him while hopping from foot to foot. "
I need to gather more information about his father."
"But I was told by the sperm clinic, I know nothing about his father."
"I will promptly provide you with an approval letter for your father's blood test. However, I require clarification on the matter to ensure that I can notify my assistance to your specific requirements."
Looking back at Owen, "I'm curious about the cause of this genetic illness in the child. It seems to be quite rare. There are numerous ailments that might affect people differently," the doctor said while placing his palm on my shoulder.
When I returned to the hospital two days later, I had the necessary paperwork for Owen's biological father. Unfortunately, his fever remained high and the prescribed medications didn't seem to be improving his condition, despite Dr. Stern's reassurances that we should expect results soon.
"My dear, it's time for a break. You've been working tirelessly without proper nourishment or rest." Nurse Betty expressed her concern with a kind smile and clicked her tongue. It's been a week since Owen's coma, and there's still a lingering feeling that something is not right. While loading the carts, we heard a loud noise outside Owen's room, exchanging worried glances with Betty.
She commanded, "Don't move," as she left the room.
I jumped up from my seat in shock as the man forced his way into the room and said, "He's my son, I have the right to see him," as his voice echoed down the hallway. He wasn't really a man, he's a wall, well a few things Owen got from him. To prevent this man from hurting my son, I physically blocked the bed with my body.
He spoke loudly and sternly; I could feel the timber in his voice. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was called from the donor office saying that I had a son who was in a coma," he said. He crossed his arms and glared at me,
"Who are you?"
"In time you'll learn the truth, but that's not important. Owen Coal, is this him?" Although his voice made me feel scared, I decided to hold my ground since I didn't have enough information about him.
"It's important to understand that when you signed the document, your sperm became the property of the company. I just want to make sure that this is crystal clear to you."
"I did not sign any papers!" he barked, his tone sharp and venomous. He stood straighter making him at least seven feet tall, and his broad shoulders. Suddenly, two additional individuals stormed into the room. They possessed tanned complexions, lengthy raven hair, and donned full outfits of black, resembling characters from a Twilight novel. Curiously enough, Owen's yellow eyes were inherited from the man who seems to be his biological father.
"So I assume you're the mother?" stated that the person in question. Despite emitting a clear growling sound, the men did not move from their position.
"All right, you know what, if you give me something - your name or why did I end up with you sperm if you didn't want to sell it - I'll let you see him." Crossing my arms, I spoke. I'm fed up with this man and his behavior.
"Ok, my name is Drakon Cross, my mother has been hounding me for children for years, I did not know my friends would sell my sperm in order to get a child." Drakon turned to the man standing on his left and with a sheepish grin he lowered his head. I slowly moved to the edge of the bed, His towering figure made it clear where Owen got his height. Owen's ten-months-old and as tall as a two year old.
"What color eyes does he have?" Drakon asked, causing me to shiver, his voice seemed deeper now that he was closer to me.
"Um? yellow, or gold" Drakon turned to the guy on the right and he dropped his head too.
"I'll have it arranged to move him to my family hospital. They will know how to better treat him."
I watched as the med van door closed and my son was to be moved to another hospital, Drakon grabbed my arm not in a harsh way just stern enough to get my attention. "Let's go," I didn't notice the car that had pulled in front of us. Drakon held the door open and ushered me in. Without a word the car started driving, the driver was one of the guys in the room with Drakon. Drakon crossed his arms and lowered his head, I'm guessing for a quick nap. It's not like I haven't slept for three days either. I looked out the window watching as the city life passed by and the farming area and then the wooden area. My heart sank. I'm an idiot, he's going to kill me and take my son. I looked from the driver to Drakon who seems to be in a sound sleep,
"Where is this hospital? Why so far?" I asked the driver but he didn't speak, he didn't even look at me in the mirror.
"Drakon, where is my son?"
"He's also my son?"
"No," grunted and pointed my finger at him "Where the fuck is my son, where are you taking me." he sighed heavy and in a swift move I was across his lap.
"What the fuck?"
"Naughty girl?" I looked at his sudden playful tone, then his hand slammed against my butt, I gasped and squirmed.
"You like this!"
"No! Stop it?I want my son,"
"You will see our son, but you need to be punished for that foul language," another slap but he held his hand there for a moment. By the end I was patting and sweating, he sat me back on my seat.
"Now that's a good girl." he kissed my forehead and I noticed the car had stopped. I dropped my head when he opened the car door. I took in the sight of the hospital,
"What the hell?" Drakon looked at me and I cowered into myself.
"Later I will fix the attitude and language."
"You're not my father," I barked. He slammed his hand on the hood of the car and bent eye to eye. I wasn't scared of him and I didn't know why, but he did give me undeniable butterflies.
"I'm not Your father, but Owen's" ok I did shiver at that and oddly I felt wet between the spanking and Drakon's tone of voice I wanted nothing more than to be in bed with him. I followed him like a lost puppy, well in this place I'd turn around and get lost. I felt like an ant, some many tall people and beefy men too. I stopped and stared at a couple of guys in the hall growling and pushing each other but no one stopped them.
"Come on," Drakon with his hand around my waist.
After a long walk we approached Owen's room, he wasn't hooked up to any wires and his color was back to normal, I looked at Drakon confused.
"It'll take two days for the drugs the hospital pumped him to wear off so he'll sleep for a bit, but he's good now. I only ask that you never take him off this property."
"What? Why? He's not a prisoner, I'm not a prisoner," Drakon pinned me against the wall, with a gasp. I look to see a woman older and a bit smaller than me.
"Is this him, oh my stars? the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen,"
"Mom, why did you order Harten to do that?you know I never wanted kids and for this reason." Mom? Wow?.
"Well, you see how it was to find the perfect for you." The woman gestured to me with a smile and I looked at Drakon confused.
"She doesn't know anything, she had the boy in a hospital with drugs and wires." Oh I got pissed that I crossed my arms.
"Where else would I take MY son when I didn't KNOW who the father was and he wasn't waking up."
"Really, I didn't ask to be a father, I still have years of fun to live."
"Then live it, I'm NOT stopping you, when MY son wakes up WE will leave." I dropped to the floor when a loud growl boomed around the room. Drakon growled at me?
"Son, take five, I'll talk to her." Drakon threw his hands in the air as he walked out.
"He just growled, like a dog, growling." The woman helped me to my feet and smiled.
"There's a lot of information you need to know. Let's start with the easiest, Owen has yellow eyes meaning he has his father's genetic make-up not many kids follow through fathers genetics, but the reason Drakon is stern with you is because his son is turning, the first shift is always the hardest and some parents get scared."
"You're telling me all this, but I still don't know what you are talking about."
"My name is Silya Cross, I'm Owen's grandmother, we are vampire/wolf hybrids. I'm the first of its kind, I was born to a vampire father and Lycan mother." My jaw dropped to the floor.
"HUUUUUH."
"Drakon was born three weeks after I was bitten by a vampire, you can guess why he bit me." I shook my head, because hu I know nothing about the other world.
"When a vampire wants to impregnate a wolf he must bite them while? you know." she chuckles blushing, I guess some women are the same in some areas.
"Anyways, Drakon had his first shift when he was two months old, and that's when his eyes changed, it's his mark. Any child he has will have that mark."
"Ummm, so why can't my son leave."
"Sweetie, Owen belongs here, this is where he can grow and become strong, and learn so much."
"But, I never asked for Drakon, I don't want a father for Owen."
"But unfortunately Owen will need his father's guidance every step of the way, this is his first shift, he'll need to know things, how to hunt being the first."
"Hunt like deer or something," Silya spoke, answering all my questions, but I didn't like any of this. Yea sure, I've heard of the otherworld's a few years ago, but I never thought I'd end up with a child from them.
